Cushioning mechanism



Dec. 26, .1939.

M. CLARK CUSHIONING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 24, 1957 Z INVEIE"O% U DU y mm Q as ATTORNEY;

Dec. 26, 1939. M. CLARK CUSHIONISG MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 24, 1937 I o o o u E, Q \8 & E Qw .3 3 g Q 3 Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUSHIONING MECHANISM Original application March 24, 1937, Serial No.

132,699. Divided and this application December 1, 1937, Serial No. 177,456

6 Claims.

This invention relates to coupling and draft mechanism for use on railway vehicles, such as cars or motive power units, and is concerned more particularly with a novel apparatus for connecting together the units of a train which operates with a smooth cushioning action and reduces the transmission of shocks and jars to the car structures on which it is used. Since such shocks are more severe in buff than in draft, the new apparatus is so constructed as to have a selective or differential action, having a greater travel in buff than in draft. The mechanism of the invention may be employed with suitable changes on vehicles of Various types, capacities, and sizes, but as it may be used to especial advantage on freight cars, an embodiment for that use will be described in detail for purposes of explanation.

The apparatus of the invention comprises a main cushioning device lying in a draft pocket on the vehicle and connected by a yoke to the shank of the coupler, the device engaging abutment means in the pocket. A supplemental or auxiliary cushioning unit, cominginto action only under buff, lies to the rear of the main de vice and may conveniently be mounted behind the .car body bolster. The supplemental'unit is operatively connected to the main cushioning mechanism and functions in series with the main mechanism to absorb and cushion forces in buff applied to the coupler. For this purpose, an abutment means, against which the main cushioning device bears, is movable and pressure transmitting means are interposed between the abutment means and the supplemental unit. With this arrangement, the application of a force in buff to the coupler compresses the main cushioning device, or a part thereof, against the movable abutment means, and the forces are transmitted therethrough and through the transmission members to the supplemental unit. In

operation under draft conditions, the movement of the coupler and yoke are resisted only by the main cushioning device which is compressed 0 against stationary abutment means.

The cushioning device and supplemental unit may be of various constructions, but I prefer to employ a device which includes a pair of cushioning units which operate in alternation under conditions of buff and draft, with one unit free to expand as the other is compressed. Also, I prefer to employ cushioning units, both main and supplemental, which make use of rubber as the cushioning or resilient element. To thisend, the units may be formed of a plurality of rubber-v bearing and separator plates of well known construction. For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in plan, showing one form of the new apparatus; Figure 2 is a sectional View at right angles to that in Figure 1 and with parts shown in elevation;

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views on the lines 3? and 4-4, respectively, of Figure 2;

Figure, 5 is a view similar to Figure l of a modified construction;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 of th modified construction'shown in Figure 5; and

Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views on the lines l? and 8-8, respectively, of Figure 6.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figure l,'the mechanism, as shown, is installed in a standard draft pocket which lies between longitudinal sills H] of the vehicle. At the forward end of the pocket are abutment means consisting of front draft stops I l', these stops beingattached to the sills in the usual manner as by rivets. The coupler l2 of the vehicle is provided with a shank l3 extending into the space between the sills, and the shank is connected by a key I4 to the arms E5 of a vertical yoke It.

Mounted within the yoke are front and rear cushioning units 51,18, respectively, each unit consisting of alternately arranged rubber-bearing plates l9 and plain separator plates. The plates I!) are provided with masses 28 of rubber on opposite faces thereof held in position-by tongues 2i passing through openings in. the plates. against opposite faces of a cross-bar 22 formed as an integral part of the yoke I6, and at their remote ends, the units bear against front and rear follower blocks 23, 24, respectively. In the normal condition of the unit, the front follower block is in contact with the front draft stops II, and the rear follower block 26 is in contact with a rear abutment member taking the form of a yoke block 25.

The block 25 has a pair of legs straddling the rear end of the yoke and the body of the block is spaced from the rear end of the yoke a substantial distance. The rear end of the block is reiii The units hear at their adjacent endsv cessed to receive the end of a compression member 25 which extends inward past the car body bolster 2'! through the center filler casting 21a, and at its rear end carries a block 28 engaging the front follower 29 of a supplemental cushioning unit 31]. This unit preferably consists of rubber-bearing and separator plates lying in alternation between the front follower block and a rear follower block 3|, which engages stops 32 attached to the sills i5. The compression member 26 is diametrically slotted as at 33 for the passage of the king pin 36;

The yoke is supported by a carry iron 35 secured to the sills l5, and a similar support 36 is provided for the rear cushioning unit. Spacer bars 3'], mounted in the space between the sills above the supplemental unit, may also be used, if desired, these bars holding the plates of the unit against vertical movement.

In the installation of the device illustrated, the cushioning units are under substantial initial compression, the front unit ll being confined the cross-bar 22 of the yoke and the follower block 23, which engages the front abutment means in the form of the draft stop H. The rear unit i8 is confined between the cross-bar and the follower block 24, which engages the rear abutment means in the form of the yoke block 25. The block is held in position by the compression member 26, which is in turn in engagement with the front follower block 21! of the supplemental unit. The rear abutment means is, therefore, movable, and upon application of a force in buff to the coupler, the rear unit [8 and the supplemental unit 3% act in series to resist the inward movement of the coupler and yoke. Upon the application of a force in draft, the forward movement of the yoke is resisted by the front unit I? only.

Preferably, in the installation of the device, the several cushioning units are installed under such initial compression that each of the units l1, it has a capacity for expansion at least as great as the amplitude of movement of the yoke when the latter is subjected to forces in buff and draft of the magnitude that occur under normal operating conditions. When the units are thus installed, one expands as the other is compressed, and the units thus make substantially continuous contact throughout normal operation, with the yoke cross-bar at one end and the follower block at the other. Accordingly, in normal operation, no spaces occur in the mechanism between the yoke and parts, such as the front draft stops, which are fast to the car structure, and the development of free slack in the connecting mechanism is thus prevented. Movements of the coupler and yoke in either direction are continuously resisted by at least one cushioning unit, and as there is no free slack and no unoushioned movements, the car structure is not subjected to shocks and jars.

In the construction shown in Figure 5, the sills 38 are provided with front draft stops 33 against which bear abutment plates 49, these plates being mounted to lie along the inner walls of the sills and having integral abutments 4! on their opposite faces. The yoke d2 encircles front and rear cushioning units Q3, M, each lying between front and rear followers blocks 45, 45. The rear follower block of the forward unit and the front follower block of the rear unit bear against opposite faces of the abutments 4i, and the end members of the yoke contact with the front follower block of the front unit and the rear follower block of the rear. unit. The yoke is provided with spaced arms 4i, between which extends the shank E8 of the coupler 49, and the coupler shank is secured to the arms by a key 50.

At their rear ends, the abutment plates 40 contact with the forward ends of compression members 5| which extend past the car body bolster 52 through the center filling casting 52a, on which they rest, and engage the front follower block 53 of a supplemental cushioning unit 54. This unit bears at its rear end against a rear follower block 55 which abuts against draft stops 56 secured to the sills 38. The yoke is supported by a carry iron 57, and angle irons 58 secured to the sills 38 support the abutment plates 30. If desired, wear plates 59 may be mounted against the inner walls of the sills to take the wear of the movable abutment plates. The supplemental unit is supported by a carry iron $3 and, if desired, spacer bars 5! are mounted at the upper ends of the sills to maintain the supplemental unit in proper position. The front and rear units 63, 44 and the supplemental unit 54 in the construction described are preferably made up of alternately arranged rubber-bearing and separator plates, as previously described.

With the mechanism shown in Figures 5 and 6, upon the application of a force in buff to the coupler, the front unit 43 of the main mechanism and the supplemental unit are compressed in series, the compression of the supplemental unit occurring as the abutment plates are moved rearward by force transmitted from the yoke through the front unit 43. In draft, the abutment plates are held stationary by their en gagement with the stops 39, and the rear unit M of the main device is compressed between the rear end of the yoke and the abutments ti.

In both the illustrated forms of the new mechanism, the movement of the coupler, produced by the application of a force in buff, resisted by a pair of cushioning units operating in series, and this permits long travel with gradual force absorption. Forces in draft, which are likely to be less severe than those in buff, are cushioned by a single mechanism. With the construction shown in Figure 1, the development of free slack may be entirely prevented under normal operating conditions, since if the units are installed under the proper initial compression, no spaces will develop in the connections between the coupler and the car body. With the construction shown in Figure 5, some slack may develop in the event that, after the application of a substantial force in bull to the coupler, the direction of force application is quickly changed. In the situation referred to, the coupler movement, produced by the force in draft, is uncushioned until the abutment plates. return into contact with the front draft stops, after which, further coupler movement is resisted by the rear cushioning unit M. The development of slack in this mechanism does not occur, however, if, after the application of a force in draft, the direction of the applied force is quickly changed. In that case, the expanded front unit 43 will cushion the return movement of the coupler at once. Accordingly, to obtain the full advantages of the invention, the construction shown in Figure 1 should be employed, but the Figure 5 construction is superior to an ordinary draft gear of the usual friction type, since, with a gear of the friction type, slack develops each time the gear is compressed and regardless of the direotion of the force applied.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 132,699, filed March 24, 1937.

I claim:

1. In a railway vehicle having a draft pocket, the combination of a coupler, a yoke connected to the coupler and extending into the pocket, a

cushioning mechanism including a pair of cushioning imits lying in line within the pocket and encircled by the yoke, abutment means, independent of the yoke, within the pocket, one end of each unit engaging the abutment means only and the other end of each unit engaging the'yoke only and receiving compressive forces therefrom, a supplemental cushioning unit, said abutment means being movable toward and away from said supplemental unit, means limiting the movement of the abutment means away from the supplemental unit, and means operatively connecting the abutment means and the supplemental unit and transmitting to the latter forces in bufi applied to the abutment means by the coupler through said mechanism.

2. In a railway vehicle having a draft pocket,

the combination of a coupler, a yoke connected to the coupler and extending into the pocket, at cushioning mechanism including a pair of cushioning units lying in line within the pocket and 1 encircled by the yoke, abutment means, independent of the yoke, within the pocket, one end 7 mental unit, and means operatively connecting the abutment means and the supplemental unit and transmitting to the latter forces in buff applied to the abutment means may the coupler through said mechanism, said means including at least one compression member engaged by the abutment means and acting on the supplemental unit.

3. In a railway vehicle having a pair of spaced longitudinal sills providing a draft pocket between them, a bolster, a center filler casting between the sills in line With the bolster, and a king pin mounted vertically in said casting, the combination of a coupler, a yoke connected to the coupler and extending into the draft pocket, a cushioning mechanism including a pair of cushioning units lying in line within the pocket and encircled by the yoke, movable abutment means, independent of the yoke, within the pocket, one end of each unit engaging the abutmentmeans only and the other end of each unit engaging the yoke only and receiving compressive forces therefrom, a supplemental cushioning unit, means for limiting the movement of the abutment means toward the coupler, and means extending through said casting on either side of the king pin and engaging the abutment means at one end, said means transmitting ,to the supplemental unit forces in buff applied to the abutmentmeans by the coupler through the cushioning mechanism.

4. In a railway vehicle having a draft pocket and a coupler, the combination of a pair of cushioning units lying in line within the pocket, a pair I of movable abutment members lying along the walls of the pocket and having projections extending into the pocket and engaged by the adjacent ends of the units, a yoke encircling the units and connected to the coupler, the remote ends of the units en aging the yoke only, a supplemental unit, means for limiting movement of the abutment members in a direction away from the unit, and means interposed between the members and supplemental unit for transmitting compressive forces from the members to the unit. 7

5. In a railway vehicle having a draft pocket and-a coupler, the combination of a pair of cushioning units lying in line within the pocket, a

yoke member connected to the coupler and having a portion encircling said units, abutment means in the pocket, one end of each unit engaging a part of theyoke member only and each of the other ends'of the units respectively engaging a part of the abutment means only, the abutment means having stationaryand movable parts and the units operating in alternation under buff and draft conditions, thestationary part of the abutment means acting as a stop for causing one of the units to be compressed when the yoke member moves forward under a force in draft, a movable part of the abutment means moving rearwardly with the other unit andyoke member when the I latter is subjected to a force in buff, a supple mental cushioning unit operable in bufi only,

and means interposed between and contacting with the movable part of the abutment means and. the supplemental unit, said supplemental unit acting through the interposed means to resist rearward movement of said movable part;

6. In a' railway vehicle having a draft pocket and a coupler, the combination of a pair of cushionin'g units lying in line :within the. pocket, a

yoke encircling theunits and connected to the coupler, the adjacent ends of the units engaging the yoke and the remote ends of the units being out of contact with the yoke, stationary abutment means engaging the remote end of one unit, mov 

